Armenia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Iceland have joined the European Union’s sanctions against Turkey, related to the illegal exploration and drilling activities carried out by Turkey in the exclusive economic zone of the Republic of Cyprus. This was stated by the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, in his statement, as TASS reports.
“Candidate countries for European Union membership — North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania, Iceland, which is included in the European Union’s economic zone, as well as Armenia — have joined this decision of the European Union Council. They will ensure that their national policies conform to the European Union’s decision. The EU takes note of this commitment and welcomes it,” Borrell said.
It should be noted that at the end of February, the European Union expanded sanctions against Turkey for drilling operations in the territory of the Republic of Cyprus. Restrictive measures were taken against the vice president of Turkey’s state petroleum enterprise TPAO (Turkish Petroleum Corporation) and head of its exploration department, Mehmet Feruk Akalin, as well as his deputy at the department, Ali Koskun Namoglu.
Let us recall that large reserves of natural gas have been discovered in the exclusive economic zone of the Republic of Cyprus. In September, the island’s government signed a contract with the French company Total and the Italian company Eni. However, at the beginning of October, Turkey sent its own drilling vessel to that area, accompanied by warships.
Turkey, which has not recognised the Republic of Cyprus since 1963, disputes the exclusive economic zone of this island state and declares that it will not allow geological surveys to be carried out off the island’s shores without the consent of the Turkish community of Cyprus.
